STEAMBOAT WILLIE: Reflections on the 85th Anniversary of the First Mickey Mouse/”Talkie” Cartoon

Audiences for the new Disney animated release, “Frozen,” are being treated to a brand new “vintage” Mickey Mouse short playing before the feature film. Its title is “Get a Horse” and it is a remarkable achievement on many levels. It is the first Disney animated production to be conceived and directed by a woman, Lauren MacMullan (of “The Simpsons” fame). The cartoon is created in the style of the original hand-drawn animations and manages to capture the look and feel of those early endeavors exactly, but with a major twist that I am not going to reveal here (but I strongly advise seeing this on the big screen and in 3D).

Todd McCarthy of “The Hollywood Reporter, praises the short film as “one of the wittiest and most inventive animated shorts in a long time”. And Scott Foundas of “Variety, calls the film “Utterly dazzling.” The words, “Academy Award nomination” are being whispered in the halls of power in Tinsletown.

With all this hub-bub in mind, I thought it might be nice to take a brief look at the origin of “Talkies” and The first Mickey Mouse/”Talkie” Cartoon in particular.

“The Golden Age of Hollywood” is a term usually mentioned in hushed tones, filled with awe and a feeling of nostalgia for those that lived through it, and an unfulfilled longing for those “born too late.”

It began roughly with the advent of sound motion pictures and ran through The Great Depression and World War II. Some of the most enduring and best loved films were released during this period:

“Gone With the Wind,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Casablanca,” as well as the classic gangster and monster movies.

One of my favorite films from that period never makes it on any of the “best loved films” lists. It was a jaunty romp through history featuring none other than “Google Eyes,” Ben Turpin playing all the parts. It was called “Kick Me In the Head and Call Me Slim” (1932).

It is a minor consolation that the film, although unavailable since 1957, is the most requested film in Netflix’s history.

The era was ushered in by a virtual upheaval in the movie industry known as sound movies or “talkies.” Interestingly enough, in the beginning there were several major detractors of this new vision.

None other that Jack Warner, head of Warner Brothers Pictures, publicly stated in 1926:

“Talking motion pictures will never prevail. They fail to take into account the international language of the silent pictures, and the unconscious share of each onlooker in creating the play, the action, the plot and the imagined dialogue for himself.”

Perhaps his opinion was influenced by the fact that Warner Brothers trailed the other studios in the development of sound pictures at that time.

It is just as likely that Warner was simply bonkers. It was during this time that he was frequently seen wandering the back lots wearing nothing but a pair of underpants while knawing noisily on a big chunk of Genoa Salami.

Jack Warner & “Friend”

It was part of Hollywood legend that Jack kept a life-sized mannequin of himself in his office and he forced people to address their comments directly to the statue. “Talk to the dummy,” became a much bandied-about insider’s catch-phrase for many years.

What began as a novelty, used mainly for background music, sound pictures offered a hint of their full potential in 1927 with the release of “The Jazz Singer,” starring then superstar, Al Jolson. It is considered, “the first feature-length Hollywood “talkie” film in which spoken dialogue was used as part of the dramatic action.” It has come to be known, without all the qualifications, as “The First ‘Talkie’.”

Hot on the heels of this momentous advance in live action films was the cultural common denominator…painted floozies…uh…I mean Cartoons.

Animated films had been around since 1909, and as with its live action counterparts, they had married film with background music in the early 1920s. But on November 18, 1928 the first cartoon to synchronize sound with the action on the screen was released.

It was commercial smash as well as a technological breakthrough.

And… it also featured a well known cartoon character in the starring role.

Take a few minutes to watch what was considered a “Miracle of Light and Sound” when it was first released. Actually I just made that phrase up but it sounds kind of cool, doesn’t it?

Here it is, STEAMBOAT WILLIE, in all its “Non-PETA Sanctioned” politically incorrect glory.

One last note:

Do not attempt to adjust the color on your computer screen.

~~~~~

~~~~~

Jessica Atwater, the original “Movielady”
(1910-2008)

For information on Jessica Atwater, the original Movielady and my mentor, and to read some of her classic film reviews :www.movielady.com